Irish peace activists say planes involved in the programme have landed at Shannon on numerous occasions, but the Irish Government says it accepts US assurances that no prisoners were on board any of the flights.

The Irish Human Rights Commission has said the Government has a duty to conduct a proper investigation rather than simply accepting such assurances.

The 46-nation Council of Europe, set up to safeguard human rights and democracy on the continent, has now backed this stance, saying the issue should concern all Irish people.

Aero Contractors might very well perform valuable tasks for the
CIA. Perhaps its pilots and aircraft support legitimate intelligence
missions that keep us all safe. Ferrying innocent men to torture
chambers is not among them.

Torture is immoral, illegal and ineffective. When the United States
violates international law, we invite our enemies to do the same and
thereby jeopardize the men and women risking their lives and striving
to keep us free.

The three Johnston County pilots indicted in Germany deserve
punishment if proved guilty of the crimes alleged.

Long before these men are tried, the State Bureau of Investigation
and Gov. Mike Easley must tell the citizens of North Carolina why
they have stonewalled repeated pleas to investigate Aero
Contractors — their renegade tenant at the Global TransPark’s
JetPort in Kinston. Twenty-two legislators have insisted that
Attorney General Roy Cooper intercede and find out whether our tax
dollars underwrite torture. A growing list of individuals, as well as
human rights and faith-based organizations are doing the same.
We deserve an answer; we demand an investigation.